Arnold Lee Pence, 66, of Burlington, died at 8:30 p.m. Friday at his home. He was a retired machine operator with General Electric, Cincinnati, a member of Big Bone Baptist Church, and an Army veteran of the Korean War.

Survivors include his wife, Susie Boles Pence; daughters, Mildred Scherder, Dorothy Pence and Sabrina James, all of Burlington; a son, William Pence of Burlington; a brother, Felix Pence of Wilmington, Ohio; sisters, Mildred Rohrer and Edna Gadberry, both of Cincinnati, Lorraine Kinman of Brooksville and Nora Wilhelm of Eubank; and nine grandchildren.

Michael Robert Schuck, the son of Robert K. and Pamela L. Schuck of Taylor Mill, was stillborn Friday at Christ Hospital, Cincinnati.

Other survivors include a brother, Alexander Ryan Schuck, and a sister, Lauren Alycia Schuck, both of Taylor Mill; grandparents, Paul and Ann Schuck of West Chester, Ohio, and Jack and Delores Cook of Edgewood; and great-grandparents, Doris Waddell of Covington, Mildred Nooks of Milan, Ind., and Willie Gillespie of Norwood, Ohio.

Raymond August Steinmetz, 72, of Covington, died at 3:45 p.m. Friday at Garrard Convalescent Center in Covington. He was a retired machinist with William Powell Valve Co., Cincinnati, a member of American Legion Post No. 203 in Latonia, and a Navy veteran of World War II.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Covington. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Burial will be in Veterans Administration Cemetery, Dayton, Ohio.

Announced on: 04-27-1998

Matthew A. Gran, actor-comedian

Matthew Allen Gran was an actor, a comedian and a chemist who left a legacy of laughter when he died at 9 a.m. Saturday at his Bellevue home.

He was 46 and had struggled in recent years with a heart condition and a lifelong blood condition. But he had become a master of rallying, pushing back problems to share his talents, said friend and comedy partner Ric Young of Cincinnati.

Mr. Gran was a volunteer for the Radio Reading Services for the blind.

He played Jacob Marley in the 1990 Cincinnati Children's Theater production of "A Christmas Carol" and performed in "1776" on the Showboat Majestic in 1991. His last performance was at Boo-Fest at Cincinnati's Union Terminal in 1995.

Mr. Gran was a graduate of Northern Kentucky University, where he majored in theater and chemistry. He was a research chemist at Procter & Gamble and received recognition for his part in developing liquid Tide, said his mother, Dorothy Tucker Gran of Bellevue.

He left P&G and held a series of part-time jobs while pursuing his love of theater. "He told me once that the most important thing to him was making people laugh," said Young.

"He could tell a story that would put you on the floor with tears in your eyes. Basically, the stories were all things that happened to him. He had the worst luck and turned it into stories that got better and better," Young said.

"He loved to entertain and he was very bright."

Early in his career, Mr. Gran played Judas in the off-Broadway production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" and later played Judas in "Godspell," said Young.

He was a member of the Drama Workshop and the Dreamweavers Storybook Theater Co., which performed folk tales, legends and original stories. Mr. Gran performed with the group in the 1980s but dropped out of theater for two years after suffering a heart attack, Young said.

In 1990, he and Mr. Gran worked together with Day Weavers, writing and recording comedy. In 1992, Mr. Gran, Young and Mike Wood formed UH-OH! a comedy team that played at clubs from Louisville to Cincinnati. They recorded a comedy tape in 1996.

Mr. Gran also was a tennis player and was skilled at set design and lighting.

He was hospitalized several times this fall. "He used his humor to deal with it, but you could tell he was hurting inside," Young said.

In addition to his mother, survivors include sisters, Mary Ellen Gran McDaniel of Taylor Mill and Marsha Gran of Dayton; and a brother, Mark Gran of Bellevue.

Mass of Christian burial will be at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Anthony Church. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Bellevue. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Ft. Thomas. Memorials are suggested to St. Anthony Church, 320 Poplar St., Bellevue, Ky. 41016.

Announced on: 04-28-1998

James Kendall Beckett, 79, of Berry, died Sunday at Harrison Memorial Hospital, Cynthiana. He was a farmer, a retired employee of the Bluegrass Army Depot, and a former Kawneer press operator.

He was a member of Benson United Methodist Church, Disabled American Veterans, the 36th Division Reunion, AFGE Lodge of the Bluegrass Army Depot and Harrison County Good Sam Rainbows Chapter No. 13. He was an Army veteran of World War II. A daughter, Anita Ruth Switzer, preceded him in death.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Whaley-McCarty Funeral Home, Cynthiana. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Battle Grove Cemetery, Cynthiana. Memorials are suggested to Benson United Methodist Church Improvement Fund, Cynthiana, Ky. 41031.

Announced on: 04-28-1998

Mary J. Behymer, 71, of Southgate, died Sunday at the Northern Kentucky Baptist Home, Newport. She was a homemaker.

Survivors include sons, William Behymer of Southgate and Terry Behymer of the state of California; sisters, Jean Martin of Virginia and Emma Dawson of Newport; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Cooper Funeral Home, Grants Lick. Visitation will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate.

Announced on: 04-28-1998

Jesse A. Bramel Sr., 79, of Ft. Wright, died at 4:27 p.m. Sunday at V.A. Medical Center, Lexington. He was a retired yard conductor with Conrail, a member of American Legion Post No. 203 in Latonia, and an Army veteran of World War II. A son, Billy Bramel, died in 1988.

Lillian M. Hoffmann Brock, 84, of Ft. Thomas, died at 9:07 p.m. Sunday at Christ Hospital, Cincinnati. She was a data-processing department worker with Western-Southern Life, and was a former member of First Baptist Church, Newport.

Survivors include granddaughters, Lori Haller of Ft. Thomas and Lynn Augsbach of Morehead; and four great-grandchildren.

Eula Mae Scott Cummins, 88, of Crittenden, died at 8:30 a.m. Monday at Grant Manor Nursing Home, Williamstown. She was a homemaker, a retired farmer and a former employee of I-75 Motel, Williamstown. She was a member of Williamstown Baptist Church and sang with the Four Southerners group on WCKY radio in Cincinnati. Two husbands, Oral Slater and James Phillips, preceded her in death.

Services will be at noon Wednesday at Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Burial will be in Williamstown Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Williamstown Baptist Church, 214 N. Main St., Williamstown, Ky. 41097.